The RD House, a new country and western themed bar in downtown Orillia, is just what our community was missing, says owner Nick Raseta.
“I looked up and down the street and I asked myself, 'What don’t we have?' There are a lot of options, but we didn’t have a country and western themed bar.”
The RD House opened early last month at 177 Mississaga St E, right next door to Raseta’s other pub, The Study Hall, which has been a part of the downtown core for the past five years.
“I think it’s something people will gravitate towards, even people on the fringe who it’s not their first option will come by once and a while,” Raseta said.
Raseta believes his new business will be successful due to a wide interest in the genre.
“There is a good portion of our population who loves country (music) and are going to appreciate this,” he said.
Raseta also feels confident that the popularity of country music in the region will draw interested patrons to the pub.
“Just take a look at the Burl's Creek events. The biggest draw is the country music,” he said.
He said the RD House has already gained frequent regulars who enjoy the bar's features such as the pool table, a deer hunting arcade game, a jukebox, and a rustic barn-like interior.
“People like the coziness. It’s quaint, it’s interesting and it feels like home to a lot of people,” he said
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t factor into the decision to open the business Raseta says, noting the pub had already been completed and was ready to be opened just before the region was put on lockdown.
The pub will be open seven days a week from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
